Boston in the Eighties (1980's)

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JohnAKeith

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Boston_1970s.png


Yeah, the image is named "Boston_1970s" but it's circa 1983.

You can see the Four Seasons under construction on the right-side, toward the middle. I think the State Transportation building is already there, above that, but maybe it's the old buildings?

There's no Parkside, Grandview or Ritz Carlton Towers facing the Boston Common but you can see the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston behind that, while One Financial Center is under construction.

The Bank of Boston building is there, as is the State Street building, but few of the 1980's "iconic" buildings are up.

The Boston Company building at One Washington Mall is there but I don't know what that building is, next to it - the Devonshire? And, I don't know what's going up right behind it, near the Custom House - it seems to early to 75 State Street (circa 1985?) and too tall to be Exchange Place?

I think the big empty space in the very middle of the photo (no, I don't mean the Boston Common, above that) might be the future Lafayette Place.

http://openlibrary.org/works/OL7063897W/Boston_tomorrow_issues_of_development
 
1 Financial Center and Exchange Place are both u/c in that photo. I remember when Exchange Place was built; I thought it was cool that we had another glass tower to go with the Hancock.
 
At least one proposal, not sure how recent or what the context was:

http://www.rfarchitects.com/commercial/sargents/

lg.1.jpg


"Sargent's Wharf - Boston, MA

Unique among any previous development on City-owned land, this proposal was sponsored and funded by a coalition of local residents. It embodies the recreational, open space and aesthetic goals formulated by the group for the development of this 2.2 acre waterfront site. Facing Boston Harbor and located on the edge of Boston's historic North End, the proposal includes the creation of a public park above a 155 car underground garage, plus a small boat marina, a restaurant pavilion, a ferry-boat dock and a pedestrian promenade along the water's edge. Located adjacent to the Pilot House, an important remnant of Boston's 19th Century waterfront, the proposed development also includes a 52 unit apartment building. This structure reflects the massing of the Pilot House, recalling other traditional pier structures."
 
I don't see the 52-unit apartment building. If you click through, it shows before and after but I don't see any new building, no?

Is there really any need for another park? You have the one further up Commercial and the Chris Columbus one below. Plus, um, the Boston Harbor is right there?
 
Is there really any need for another park? You have the one further up Commercial and the Chris Columbus one below. Plus, um, the Boston Harbor is right there?
Click to expand...

Of course not. But this proposal was sponsored by local residents who - suprise, surprise - advocate parking and greenspace.
 
This tweet showed up briefly on the BRA's feed on Saturday before being deleted.

Someone theorized it had to do with the Bulgers and 75 State Street.

87d003fa-74ef-4927-a069-9b2fd6e01f14.jpg


Any local historians hazard a guess as to what this was about, if anything?
 
JohnAKeith said:
Any local historians hazard a guess as to what this was about, if anything?
Click to expand...

Occam's razor. Shirley Kressel is perhaps merely a more adept member of the hackerati than previously suspected.
 
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